THE ANIMAL FILES

Yellow fever mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Female and male mosquitoes do not share an identical menu.

Yellow fever mosquitoes develop as aquatic larvae before becoming flying adults. Both sexes obtain energy from plant sugars, while females also take blood meals that support egg production.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Yellow fever mosquito
Image: James Gathany · Commons · Public domain
Thorax pattern
Pale markings shaped like a lyre[1]
Energy source
Plant sugars are used by both sexes[1]
Larval food
Bacteria and small organic particles[1]

A pattern with more than one feature

Adults are dark mosquitoes with pale leg markings and a lyre-like pattern on the upper thorax. Males have feathery antennae, while female antennae are more sparsely haired.[1]

Sugar and blood serve different needs

Both sexes can obtain energy from plant sugars. Females additionally take blood meals that provide nutrients for egg development; males do not take those meals. Female host choice often favours humans but can include other vertebrates. Food choice therefore reflects both reproductive biology and the hosts available in a place.[1]

Before flight comes a water-based stage

Larvae feed on bacteria and fine organic material, passing through four larval instars before pupation. Adults emerge with a different body and feeding system.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Do all yellow fever mosquitoes drink blood?

No. Blood feeding is a female activity associated with producing eggs. Males and females also use plant sugars, so even the female’s food sources are not limited to blood throughout adult life.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why would adult feeding not predict larval food?

Reveal the explanation

Metamorphosis changes where and how the animal feeds. Water-dwelling larvae collect microorganisms and small particles, whereas the adult’s feeding equipment serves a different setting. The same species can occupy contrasting feeding roles over its life.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Yellow fever mosquito (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Aedes aegypti (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

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